Klarinet Archive - Posting 000203.txt from 2006/04

From: "George Huba" <ghuba@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Mazzeo systems once more
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 01:02:00 -0400

Dan,

To the best of my knowledge, the most advanced PRODUCTION Selmer Mazzeo
clarinet was the Model M21 which is based on a full Boehm, Selmer Series 10
clarinet as well as a few extra keys that Mazzeo added. The Model M21 was
released simultaneously with a Model M10 which is regular Boehm and a Signet
model. All three had the clutch which permits the Mazzeo Bb mechanism to be
turned off. I believe these to be the last production models and they were
made up through some point in the 1980s. These models are described in
Mazzeo's book.

I also own a full Boehm Series 9* which is identical to the full Boehm M21
in its keywork with the one exception that the Mazzeo mechanism
counterweight and clutch is fabricated differently. Oddly, a regular Boehm
Series 9* has the same counterweight and clutch as the Model M21.

On the Paris Selmer models, there were at least two different key
fabrications which affects primarily how the Mazzeo mechanism (for alternate
Bb) is counterweighted and adjusted. I suspect that they experimented with
the two designs to get the correct tension and "feel" in the fingering for
the side vented Bb.

The mechanics of the Mazzeo mechanism are not particular complex but they do
involve a few extra adjustments.

After retirement, Mazzeo did custom work with several repair professionals
in Carmel, producing a custom clarinet for himself that is now in the
instrument museum at the University of South Dakota (you can Google for this
and come up with a lot of pictures). What he called the California Custom
Clarinet is described in his book and there are many pictures of it on the
Internet. As described, and pictured, this clarinet apparently was custom
fit (with large keys) to Mr. Mazzeo's large hands and lifetime of experience
playing bass clarinet.

In email exchanges with Sherman Friedland, he has indicated to me that over
the years he has owned Selmer Paris clarinets from the Centered Tone series
through the Series 10 that were fit with the Mazzeo mechanism. At least some
of these were instruments he obtained directly from Rosario Mazzeo and I
infer that they may not have been production line instruments. The ones that
tend to surface for resale seem to be primarily based on Selmer Series 10 or
9* clarinets.

George

-----Original Message-----
From: dnleeson [mailto:dnleeson@-----.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 6:27 PM
To: klarinet@-----. org
Subject: [kl] Mazzeo systems once more

My Mazzeo system basset horn had a clutch on it which allowed me
to turn off the Mazzeo B-flat and treat the instrument like a
standard Boehm. It broke my heart that I could not use the
Mazzeo B-flat because it was a far better note than the throat
tone B-flat. The fact is that I was too lazy to learn it, not any
inadequacies of the invention.

If memory serves me correctly, there was a much more advanced
version of the Mazzeo system clarinet. A buddy I had in the army
had studied with Mazzeo and had a pair of them. His name was Tom
Ferrante. He was a jazz tenor player as well as an excellent
legitimate clarinetist. When we went to NY to take lessons, Dave
Weber always called his instrument "a repairman's nightmare." I
don't know what it cost or what it did, but it scared me half to
death.

Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

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